This invention relates to a power system capable of managing power received from multiple power sources and distributing power for use by multiple devices.
As used in this application, an “electrical device” is a circuit, apparatus, system or any other thing made for a particular purpose that uses power to perform or to assist in the performance of some function. In this description, these will be called “electrical devices” or simply “devices”. Further, the “power” used by the devices is electrical power. Those skilled in the art will realize that, from the standpoint of power distribution, these devices may also be considered to be loads.
Many electrical devices are powered by an internal power source such as a power supply, storage cell, or battery. The design of such a device emphasizes the effective performance of a function by means of circuits, processes, sensors, and/or transducers. Electrical device power design emphasizes stability and quality of power delivered, size of the power source and dissipation of thermal byproduct. Flexibility has only recently become a factor affecting power design, with the ability to obtain power from one or more multiple sources being driven by requirements for portability and adaptive use of electrical devices.
For example, a device may, under certain operating circumstances operate most effectively with power drawn from a primary battery. But, changes in the device's environmental or operational circumstances may make a secondary battery more effective. In this regard, the term “primary battery” refers to an electrochemical device designed, engineered, and intended to operate through one discharge cycle and then be discarded without being recharged. The term “secondary battery” refers to an electrochemical device designed, engineered and intended to operate through many discharge/charge cycles before being discarded. However, this is not meant to preclude the possibility that a primary battery may be recharged or that a secondary battery may be discarded after a single use. A flexible power design would make both battery types available and would intelligently manage the selection of one as a power source for the device. Further, once a battery is selected as a power source, a flexible power design would manage the transition from one to another type of battery in response to changes in device operating and/or environmental conditions.
To date, however, little attention has been given to the flexible management of power provided to or in electrical devices from multiple disparate power sources.